Romualdez: House approves all Ledac-priority bills before June target

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the chamber’s 100 percent approval of the administration’s priority bills shows lawmakers’ dedication to addressing concerns affecting the people.

Romualdez’s report to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting on Tuesday highlighted the House’s fulfillment of its promise to pass all 19 bills re-prioritized by the council.

READ: Palace: Ledac OKs 10 more priority bills for 19th Congress

The Ledac meeting, headed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was called on Tuesday in Malacañang.

“Mr. President, we have done our homework and all the 19 measures re-prioritized for target by June 2024 have been approved on the third and final reading by the House of Representatives,” Romualdez said.

“This clearly shows that this present House of the People is a proactive chamber that caters and listens to the needs of the people, passing needed legislation attuned to the Philippine Development Plan and the 8-point Socio-Economic Agenda under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF) of His Excellency PBBM,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez said the House would continue to support the Marcos administration’s goal of a better Philippines.

READ: Dalipe assures passage of remaining priority bills in House

“Mr. President, rest assured that you will have our continued support in our goal for a brighter, better Philippines for our countrymen,” Speaker Romualdez said.

The 19 Ledac priority bills that the House was able to pass before the June deadline are the following:

• Philippine Ecosystems and Natural Capital Accounting System
• Negros Island Region
• Philippine Maritime Zones Act
• Amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act
• Philippine Defense Industry Development Act (PDIDA)/Self-Reliant Defense Posture Act
• Valuation Reform Bill
• Waste-to-Energy Bill
• Instituting a National Citizens Service Training (NCST) Program
• E-Government/E-Governance Act
• Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act (AFASA)
• Enabling Law for the Natural Gas Industry
• VAT on Digital Services
• Open Access in Data Transmission Act
• Military and Uniformed Personnel Reform Bill
• Blue Economy Act
• Amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act
• Department of Water Resources and Services
• Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act
• CREATE MORE

Romualdez said that only three of all the updated 59 Ledac bills had not been passed on the third reading by the House.

Also, the Speaker said the House approved the 17 priority measures mentioned by President Marcos in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July last year.

“I am honored to report that the House of Representatives is working hard towards realizing the common legislative agenda of the executive and legislative branches,” Speaker Romualdez said.

“Truly, this is a testament to the zeal and commitment of the members of the House of Representatives in passing our common legislative agenda,” the Speaker said. “I am very much honored to be at the helm of a House of Representatives that is as dedicated and hardworking as the 19th Congress.”